Fire in Orbit: Equipping the Commercial Spaceflight Industry for Fighting Fire in Micro-Gravity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17307/wsc.v0i0.153Keywords:
Fire, Combustion, Commercial Space, Micro-Gravity, Fire Extinguisher, PFEAbstract
For several years, Orbital Technologies (ORBITEC) has had keen interest in the
development of a portable fire suppression system intended for use in commercial
spaceflight applications. With the aid of recent developments in fine water mist (FWM)
atomization technologies, and partnerships with the University of Wisconsin – Platteville,
a portable fire extinguisher (PFE) prototype has been developed and constructed. The
commercial extinguisher is capable of operation in both gravity and microgravity
environments regardless of orientation, and eliminates the use of toxic carbon dioxide as
a fluid suppressant. Preliminary testing of the PFE prototype has demonstrated promising
discharge ranges and rates at various pressures. Testing has also confirmed the
prototype’s ability to extinguish stored energy fires, in the form of lithium ion batteries.
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